Syria crisis: Assad claims Israel 'destabilising' country

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has accused Israel of trying to "destabilise" his country, in his first comments on last week's reported Israeli air strike in Syria.

Syrian TV has shown images of the raid Damascus says Israeli jets carried out on a military research centre in Jamraya last Wednesday. US officials said the air strike targeted a weapons convoy bound for Lebanon.

The Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak has hinted that his country was responsible.

Meanwhile the leader of the Syrian opposition has proposed talks with the government.